Pirelli P Zero and Cinturato Tires: Not Just for Motorsports

In late 2017, Pirelli released their re-entry into the bicycle tire market, the Pirelli P Zero Velo, the P Zero Velo 4S, and P Zero Velo TT road bike tires. For as popular as road bike tires like the Continental GP 4000S II and Vittoria Corsa were in our shop, we jumped at the opportunity to bring in tires that looked to do things a bit differently from the competition. Much of a bicycle tire's performance is determined by the rubber compound, and Pirelli used their success in the automotive and motorcycle worlds to develop a new molecule patent called "SmartNet Silica". In essence, this SmartNet Silica compound is said to offer an excellent balance between grip, rolling resistance, and puncture protection in the road racing market in both wet and dry conditions. And while they don't feel as floaty as an open tubular tire, they are more durable and last longer than the popular open tubular tires on the market today. We have also had good success with the Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR tire, a beefed up version of the P Zero Velo. While it still uses Pirelli's proprietary SmartNet Silica compound, there is also a stronger aramid fiber belt, as well as the addition of a nylon bead-to-bead layer they call their Armor Tech construction. Pirelli claims that this results in a new level of protection against myriad road conditions, but we find that this tire definitely durable through glass, rough roads, and the like. It's one of our go-tos when endurance riding is the name of the game, and a tubeless-ready casing is necessary. While everyone has their preferred road bike tire, we opt to spec the P Zero Velo line of tires on many of our favorite custom builds. From hot off the press builds that deserve the latest and greatest, to well-used road bikes in need of a reliable companion that sacrifices nothing in rolling resistance and grip, the Pirelli P Zero line of tires delivers on a wide spectrum. Below are some of our favorite builds that use Pirelli's line of road bike tires to great success. TIME Scylon AKTIV Disc with Pirelli P Zero Velo Tires TIME Scylon AKTIV Disc with Pirelli P Zero Velo 4s Tires Pinarello Dogma F10 with Pirelli P Zero Velo 4s Tires Pinarello Dyodo E-Road Bike Dura-Ace Di2 with Pirelli P Zero Velo 4s Tires Pinarello Dogma K10 with Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR Tires Pinarello Dogma F12 with Pirelli P Zero Velo 4S Tires Have any questions about the Pirelli P Zero Velo line of road bike tires, or Pirelli cycling tires? Give us a call during business hours, or send us an email any time to info@contenderbicycles.com.